Regardless of intensive criticism from a number of corners, Bengaluru Sensible Infrastructure Restricted (B-SMILE) has invited worldwide aggressive bids for the development of a three-lane underground twin tunnel highway from Hebbal Esteem Mall Junction to Silk Board KSRP Junction, aiming to remodel city mobility alongside town’s busy north-south hall.
The large infrastructure initiative, with an estimated price of Rs 17,698 crore (excluding GST), will likely be applied underneath the modified build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) mannequin and consists of operation and upkeep obligations.
The undertaking is cut up into two packages—Hebbal to Seshadri Street and Seshadri Street to Silk Board—with estimated prices of Rs 8,770 crore and Rs 8,928 crore, respectively. The proposed tunnel, spanning practically 17 km, consists of a number of entry and exit ramps and is anticipated to considerably ease congestion throughout central Bengaluru and scale back the time journey from 90 minutes to 45 minutes. The full concession interval has been set at 34 years, together with a 50-month development timeline for every bundle.
Tender paperwork will likely be made out there on the Karnataka Public Procurement Portal beginning July 15. The pre-bid assembly will likely be held on August 4, and the deadline for submission of tenders is September 2. B-SMILE has invited participation from contractors registered with companies resembling BBMP, CPWD, KPWD, Railways, MES, and different state or nationwide our bodies.
The proposed tunnel highway, if executed as deliberate, will likely be probably the most costly and impressive infrastructure undertakings in Bengaluru’s historical past. Touted as a “pet undertaking” of Deputy Chief Minister D Okay Shivakumar, the initiative has come underneath extreme criticism from Opposition BJP leaders, civic teams, mobility specialists, and environmentalists.
The federal government has floated international tenders even after the BBMP was referred to as out for shoddy work of the detailed undertaking report (DPR) ready by Rodic Consultants at a price of Rs 9 crore. The report was criticised for obtrusive errors together with its references of site visitors evaluation to cities like Nashik and Malegaon in Maharashtra and downplaying environmental influence.
The DPR additionally proposes a toll of Rs 330 (one-way) for a distance of 16.6 km. The report additionally highlights tolls for subsequent years are calculated on the idea of a 5 per cent annual enhance in wholesale worth index with a 40 per cent restriction. The bottom yr for the toll income is FY 2030-31. Importantly, the toll estimates have been proposed just for automobiles, with no point out of different automobiles. Shivakumar had earlier mentioned that with out a toll, the tunnel highway undertaking can not go forward.
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Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya got here down closely on Shivakumar on Monday, criticising the proposed tunnel highway undertaking as an unscientific and elitist initiative that sidelines the wants of the widespread man. He additionally warned of authorized motion if the federal government goes forward with the undertaking, which he mentioned would violate Bengaluru’s Complete Mobility Plan and sustainable transportation targets.
The BJP MP additionally flagged the background of the consultants concerned. He identified that one of many companies behind the feasibility examine—a part of a three way partnership between Lion Consultants and Altinok—has been blacklisted in Madhya Pradesh over a Nationwide Highways Authority of India (NHAI) undertaking, he mentioned. In the meantime, Rodic Consultants, which ready the DPR, had been reportedly linked to a Rs 500-crore rip-off in Jammu & Kashmir.
Surya additional alleged that the undertaking was transferring forward with out necessary clearance from the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority, violating part 19 of the BMLTA Act.